Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), initially established in 1975, is a private four-year medical school within a consortium of six predominantly black institutions of higher learning known as the Atlanta University Center (AUC). The MBRS SCORE and other research programs at MSM are strategically aligned to the mission of the institution to foster the study of diseases, especially those associated with health disparities in minority populations, and to provide an environment that promotes scholarship. Initiation of new research programs or institutes has generally been guided by the "Quest for Excellence: The Morehouse School of Medicine Strategic Plan." The long-range goal of the SCORE Program at Morehouse School of Medicine is to achieve an institutional environment of research excellence that fosters the conduct of research on disease processes that disproportionately affect underserved populations. This long-term goal will be obtain by setting specific objectives/aims that will enhance the research capacity and increase the competitiveness of the research investigators at the institution. The goals and measurable objectives of the program are to: Goal 1: Enhance the research environment at MSM in order to nurture and support research opportunities for underrepresented minority faculty; Goal 2: Increase the scholarly productivity and research competitiveness of faculty; Goal 3: Where appropriate, coordinate the SCORE and the RISE program activities. This renewal application includes biomedical research projects that will strengthen the institution's research capabilities and provide for faculty the needed support to address the disproportionate degree of diseases and adverse conditions that affect the nation's minority population. The MBRS SCORE will also provide the resources and technical assistance needed to maintain an environment for developing and cultivating minority students to become outstanding scientists.